[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-unorthodox-sword-of-ming":3,"chapter-the-unorthodox-sword-of-ming-the-unorthodox-sword-of-ming-chapter-168":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Unorthodox Sword of Ming",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2337373,4570,"Chapter 168: Gulping Spiritual Energy","the-unorthodox-sword-of-ming-chapter-168",168,"\u003Cp>Zhang Wei’s lunch box was bought from the cafeteria, containing roast duck, steamed chicken, braised pork, meatballs, and several vegetarian dishes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun’s gaze swept over the dishes, and she involuntarily sniffed the aroma of meat in the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their Qingzhen Temple, like the Long Hushan Celestial Masters’ Mansion, belonged to the Zhengyi Sect, and their rules were not as numerous or strict as those of the Quanzhen Sect; they did not forbid meat or alcohol in daily life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But not forbidding meat and alcohol did not mean they ate it every day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, they rarely ate meat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At Mount Sanqing, it was Wang Feiyin who thought they were still growing and needed meat; if no one brought meat up from below, he would give them eggs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If more than a month passed without meat, he would reluctantly slaughter a chicken for them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On average, they got a meat meal every five days—with decent portions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But even that was rare among Daoists, for since arriving at the Academy, their daily meals were vegetarian, with only one meat dish every three days—and even that meat…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was no thicker than shredded meat, offering only a hint of flavor, with no real sensation of eating meat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Daoists lived hard lives indeed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So this lavish lunch box full of meat and fish was still very eye-catching.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miao Zhen and Miao He’s gazes also fell unconsciously toward the lunch box.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun: “What’s this, Brother Zhang?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Wei explained: “This is prepared to celebrate your descent from the mountain. The three of us pooled our money to buy it, as a gesture to cleanse your impurities and welcome you back.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun looked at the lunch box but did not move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Wei sighed: “All that happened before was a misunderstanding. Please don’t take it to heart, Sister.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miao Zhen leaned close to Pan Yun’s ear and whispered: “Little Auntie, Zhang Weiliang and the other two have all moved out of Fengqi Courtyard. Zhang Weiliang was sent to Si Guo Cliff, while Zhang Weigang and Zhang Weiqin are training outside—they’re not expected back until graduation next year.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So now only six of us remain in this courtyard—and unluckily, Zhang Wei, Xue Hua, and Deng Ziyu will also graduate this September, receiving their talismans and leaving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only three months left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, this is Zhang Wei’s group’s gesture of goodwill—they hope the remaining three months can pass peacefully, with no more trouble between us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun understood, smiled faintly at them, and reached out to take the lunch box. “Very well, thank you, three elder brothers, for this meal.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Wei covered the lid for her, nodded with a smile, and said: “We won’t disturb you three sisters while you eat.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After delivering the lunch box, the three turned and left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun watched them return to their rooms, then turned and brought Miao Zhen and Miao He back inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She sighed: “If Zhang Weiliang and the others had been like this from the start, how much trouble we’d have saved.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun told Miao Zhen and Miao He: “So when we’re out in the world, we must always be kind to others, never rashly offend anyone. Beyond the sky there is higher sky, beyond people there are greater people—who knows when you’ll meet someone truly beyond you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miao He: “Little Auntie, we always follow you, so…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun: “You don’t need to say the rest.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miao Zhen: “Are you praising yourself or teaching us? Because to Zhang Weiliang and the others, you are that person beyond them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun couldn’t help sighing to the heavens: “How long have we been down the mountain? Already you’ve all grown so complicated.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miao Zhen and Miao He smiled, lips pressed together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After descending the mountain, the main task was study.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were few female Daoists in the Academy; no matter how Daoism preached equality among all beings, the social environment meant few families would let their daughters show themselves publicly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Daoists were still born of parents—no matter the reason for becoming a Daoist, everyone had an original family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This ensured Daoists remained mostly male, few in number among females.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>People naturally preferred to associate with their own kind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After relations between Mount Sanqing and Long Hushan eased and mutual goodwill grew, and after Pan Yun demonstrated she was not to be trifled with, many more girls in the Academy began to approach her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They did nothing special—just nodded and greeted each other in class, or unconsciously gathered together at the cafeteria, laughing and chattering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miao Zhen and Miao He quickly found new friends because of this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, the one they got along with best was Xuan Li.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To be fair, though this girl had a sharp tongue, she was truly a good friend worth keeping.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When trouble came, she truly stepped forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xue Taixu, teaching the Art of Spells, saw Pan Yun and said: “Pan Yun, come up and draw a Mingmen diagram.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun was about to rise, but the black cat leaning against her slept soundly; she was unusually gentle, and gently lifted it aside with her hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That brief delay caused Xuan Li, seated across from her with Miao Zhen in between, to think she was absent-minded and didn’t know how to draw; she suddenly stood up: “Headmaster, I can draw it—I’ll do it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun’s half-risen buttocks slid smoothly back down, her face filled with gratitude and admiration as she watched Xuan Li.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xuan Li caught her gaze and grew even more proud, lifting her chin and waiting for Xue Taixu’s approval.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a moment’s silence, Xue Taixu said: “Very well, Xuan Li, come up and draw it.” Miao Zhen and Miao He looked puzzled—they didn’t understand why Xuan Li was competing for this; Little Auntie clearly knew how to draw.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Xuan Li drew it correctly—the Mingmen diagram in Daoist cultivation was not difficult: just depict the two kidneys and the liver-gallbladder qi spirals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xuan Li’s drawing was perfectly standard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xue Taixu nodded approvingly, told her to sit back down, then called Pan Yun’s name: “Pan Yun, explain this Mingmen diagram.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun thought for a moment and said: “The internal kidneys are the Two Polarities; between them lies a ring, concealing my true essence—the red and white qi. Left is Xuan Yang, right is Pin Yin.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xue Taixu stroked his beard and nodded, pleased: “Excellent. Observe—this point is the Middle Point, my post-heaven Sea of Qi, also called True Lead, the northern qi of solemnity and destruction. Following it gives birth to life; reversing it leads to immortality. This water and fire both belong to the Five Phases, flowing ceaselessly day and night; thus the two kidneys together form a single Taiji within the human body…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xue Taixu taught them how to refine kidney qi, and how to use it to drive the Five Phases qi through the five organs, storing essence within and projecting it outward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The former could sustain life in critical moments; the latter allowed one to feign weakness, then strike instantly with surprise, killing the enemy off-guard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, he didn’t just teach techniques—he extended them into views on conduct and life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He taught them not to be overly sharp or showy, but to learn to conceal their power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>!. Read\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun and the others listened intently; only now did she truly feel the Academy was a place of real learning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It reminded her of her past-life school—yes, still a bit lacking, but quite remarkable for this era.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one harassed her anymore; the lives of the three junior disciples returned to normal, their focus entirely on cultivation and study.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every ten days, they received money sent from some unknown place, then used it to buy bath herbs when descending the mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun also painted talismans and left them for sale at Wenda General Store; when delivering them, she’d hand her written letters to Master Chen, asking him to mail them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So far, everything was flawless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While confined on Si Guo Cliff, she had not written to Datong; her father, for the first time receiving no letter from her so long, grew anxious and sent three letters to Long Hushan—all intercepted by Miao Zhen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun did not mention her punishment; she only wrote that her cultivation had made progress and she was in seclusion, hence unable to descend and mail letters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether Pan Hong believed it or not, Pan Yun firmly believed it herself—wasn’t her confinement on Si Guo Cliff essentially a form of seclusion?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The night she descended the mountain, she didn’t sit in meditation; yet in her sleep, spiritual energy rushed eagerly into her body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since emerging from the cave, she had been in this state.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was like a sponge left under the sun for over forty days, dried and shriveled—when suddenly placed in a moist environment, even without water poured on it, it would automatically expand and absorb moisture from the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the moment she descended, her body had been automatically absorbing spiritual energy, replenishing her dantian and the qi of her limbs and bones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She intended to proceed slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, she had not damaged her foundation; there was no need to push herself too hard. Besides, she still had to eat with Miao Zhen and Miao He—she had no time yet to sit and cultivate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At night, she had no intention of meditating; she washed up early and went to bed, letting her body slowly adapt to the spiritual energy-rich environment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But she hadn’t expected that at dawn, spiritual energy in Fengqi Courtyard grew dense—her body automatically opened, gulping down spiritual energy in great drafts; before she noticed, several Taiji qi clusters had formed within her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She woke up in pain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sensing the abnormality, she immediately sat cross-legged and began cultivating, first refining all the spiritual energy absorbed into her body, transforming it into her own yuan power, then pressing it into her dantian…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then did she begin drawing in the spiritual energy pressing toward her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Vast amounts of spiritual energy were drawn in; first, the energy around her, unable to enter, swirled unwillingly away, forming clusters above her head and around her body…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then above her roof, the spiritual energy within Fengqi Courtyard surged rapidly, forming a vortex above the roof…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, from high above, the spiritual energy of the entire Academy, even of Long Hushan, flowed toward this spot, forming ribbon-like colors in the sky, culminating in a massive spiritual energy cluster high above.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miao Zhen and Miao He, who had been meditating, opened their eyes—they sensed the spiritual energy around them had dropped, nearly nothing left to absorb.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the first time since moving into Fengqi Courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miao Zhen thought for a moment, opened the door, and stepped out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At a glance, she saw spiritual energy surging toward Pan Yun’s room; she looked up at the slowly forming vortex above the roof, then turned back inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She took down the sword hanging on the wall, walked to Pan Yun’s door, and sat cross-legged before it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No sooner had she sat than Miao He quietly opened her door, peering out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miao Zhen turned to look at her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miao He saw her, blinked, then stepped out, running up quietly: “I’ll guard with you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two sat on either side of Pan Yun’s door, guarding her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A faint sound came from the three central rooms; Miao Zhen tightened her grip on the sword and turned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But no one emerged—only a figure stood at the window for a moment, then withdrew, without even lighting a lamp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miao Zhen quietly exhaled in relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miao He stopped rummaging in her sleeve for talismans; the two sat in silence, occasionally glancing up at the ever-growing spiritual energy cluster high above.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1964,"2026-06-20T22:03:57.478Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","69afe2e8a0c66ccb020c32e0897c8990dc5561d706a52a08678832ad13391586","the-unorthodox-sword-of-ming-chapter-169","the-unorthodox-sword-of-ming-chapter-167",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-unorthodox-sword-of-ming-cover.jpg"]